Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41618065›Full record

ArticleGeroScience2026

Single-cell immune atlas of mouse testes unveils metabolic reprogramming of FOLR2 + macrophages in orchestrating testicular immunity during aging.

Xinyu Li, Min Zhang, Ani Chi, Jiahui Mo, Xiaofeng Tan, Hongde Chen, Chunhua Deng, Xiangzhou Sun, Xin Feng, Zhihong Chen

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in GeroScience, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Xinyu Li *Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, Zhejiang, China.
Min Zhang *Department of Urology and Andrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China.
Ani ChiSchool of Materials Science and Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510640, China.
Jiahui MoDepartment of Urology and Andrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China.
Xiaofeng TanDepartment of Urology and Andrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China.
Hongde ChenDepartment of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, Zhejiang, China.
Chunhua DengDepartment of Urology and Andrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China.
Xiangzhou SunDepartment of Urology and Andrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China. sunxzh@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
Xin FengDepartment of Urology and Andrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China. fengx68@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
Zhihong ChenDepartment of Urology and Andrology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China. chenzhh235@mail.sysu.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9545-1327

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Immune cells play a crucial role in maintaining tissue homeostasis during aging. However, the dynamics and functions of immune cells in testicular aging have not been well elucidated. In this study, we utilized single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to analyze CD45-enriched immune cells isolated from young and old mice testis. This approach yielded a comprehensive dataset comprising 6622 immune cells, encompassing macrophages, monocytes, and T cells. Our analysis revealed a significant decline in FOLR2 + resident macrophages, accompanied by a corresponding increase in pro-inflammatory CD74 + macrophages, CCR2 + monocytes, and CD8 + T cells in old mice testis. These findings were further validated by multiplex immunofluorescence staining. Notably, during testicular aging, FOLR2 + macrophages underwent a phenotypic transition towards a pro-inflammatory state. This transition subsequently facilitated the recruitment of monocytes and CD8 + T cells via the CCL8-CCR2/CCR5 axis. Furthermore, we discovered that mitochondrial metabolic dysfunction was a key driver of FOLR2 + macrophage activation. Specifically, inhibition of IDH2, a key catalytic enzyme in the TCA cycle, significantly induced this activation. Collectively, our findings provide a detailed immune atlas of testicular aging and suggest a potential role for FOLR2 + macrophages in maintaining testicular immune homeostasis.

Indexed as

AgingMacrophagesTestisAnimalsMaleMiceMice, Inbred C57BLReceptors, CCR2Single-Cell AnalysisReceptors, CCR2CCL8-CCR2/CCR5 axisMacrophagesMitochondrial metabolismSingle-cell RNA sequencingTesticular aging

Identifiers

PMID41618065
PMCPMC13575089

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.